Monetary Eligibility Requirements

Qualifying Wages:

You must have worked at least two calendar quarters of your Base period, and have enough wages. Under the present Law, you may be eligible monetarily if you were paid wages in covered employment of at least $858.00 in the calendar quarter of your period in which your wages were the maximum and your total base period wages were no less than one and a half times the wages paid in that highest quarter.

Usually, most states permit an individual to obtain unemployment for a maximum of 26 weeks, or half the benefit the benefit year. A few states have standardized benefit duration, while most have different durations depending upon the worker. In a state with varied duration, it is probable that the benefit year may include less than 26 payable weeks.

The calculation is normally which us smaller: 26xWBA or 1/3 BPW. WBA is the Weekly Benefit Amount, so 26xWBA would be the regular week program. 1/3 BPW refers to the Base Period Wages, so if a person did not succeed to earn more than 3 times the standard benefit amount, they will be suitable for fewer weeks of coverage.

How much weekly benefit will I receive:

You can guess your Potential Benefits Online. Your weekly benefit amount and the number of weeks of entitlement to benefits are based on the wages you were paid and amount of time you worked during your base period. The weekly benefit amount is calculated by dividing the sum of the wages earned during the highest quarter of the base period by 26, rounded down to the next lower whole dollar. The result cannot exceed the utmost weekly benefit permitted by rule.

The base period is the term used to describe the time frame used as the basis for deciding whether or not you will be monetarily eligible for unemployment.

How are Benefits Calculated:

Once you make out how the unemployment are calculated, you will have a fair idea of how much you could receive per week or per benefit period if you were to lose your job. This is significant when you think taking unemployment or searching another job.

Unemployment is computed and one half of what your weekly pay was at the time of the discharge up to your state's maximum benefit. You will have to verify with your state's unemployment office to see what the highest payout for your state is. For further details refer unemployment benefits article.

Recently Asked Questions:

Who is eligible for EUC?
Unemployed claimants whose regular UI benefits expire before the week ending December 29, 2012 may be eligible for EUC. Claimants cannot be eligible for a new, regular unemployment compensation claim in the District of Columbia, another state, or Canada. Claimants who qualify for this federal program will be notified of their potential eligibility and next steps.

If a claimant is currently filing for regular benefits, does the claimant have to file an application for EUC?
Yes. An EUC application will be mailed after he or she has collected the maximum amount of regular benefits available. If the claimant is eligible for EUC and remains partially or totally unemployed, the claimant may continue to file weekly certifications as he or she did for regular benefits.

When does the EUC Program expire?
On February 22, 2012, President Obama signed legislation extending the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program. While the legislation did not add any new benefits, it did extend the deadline by which claimants can apply for and receive extended benefits. The last payable week of EUC benefits was extended to December 29, 2012.

What is the difference between the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Program and the federal Extended Benefits (EB) Program?
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Program is a federally funded program that provides payments to unemployed individuals who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits. The Extended Benefits (EB) Program provides benefits to claimants who have exhausted regular UI benefits and all EUC benefits. According to the federal government, the District of Columbia is in a High Unemployment Period (HUP), which allows eligible claimants to receive additional weeks of benefits. Claimants who qualify for these programs will be automatically notified.

What are the eligibility requirements for EB?
Claimants must meet the following criteria in order to receive EB:

Claimants must have exhausted all regular UI benefits and all EUC benefits before the week ending January 5, 2013.

Claimants cannot be eligible for unemployment benefits on a new, regular claim in DC, another state, or Canada.

Claimants MUST submit Work Search information each week. Work Search information can be supplied online or it may be submitted by mailing in a completed weekly claim form.

What if I have received EB in the past?
For those eligible claimants who have remaining weeks of Extended Benefits, an EB notification order will be sent in the mail when EUC Tier 4 is exhausted. This pay order will show the claimant’s EB balance.

What if I have never received EB?
For those claimants who qualify, but have never claimed EB, a monetary determination and an EB pay order will be sent in the mail.

What if a claimant has benefit weeks remaining under the local Additional Benefits (AB) Program?
The local Additional Benefits program expired on November 6, 2009, when President Obama signed an extension for EUC08. AB program benefits are no longer available.